Description

Six-Armed Mahākāla

• Appearance: It has six arms and a blue or black body. It wears a five-skull crown, which symbolizes victory over the five poisons (greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt). It has three eyes, representing the ability to observe the past, present, and future.
• Held Ritual Implements:
  • The right upper hand holds a blood-stained scimitar, symbolizing the cutting off of afflictions and demons;
  • The left upper hand holds a skull bowl, representing wisdom and emptiness;
  • The middle hands are clasped in front of the chest, holding a vajra pestle and a vajra bell, signifying the union of wisdom and skillful means;
  • The remaining two hands hold a rope and an elephant skin respectively: the rope implies binding afflictions, and the elephant skin symbolizes fearlessness and overcoming obstacles.

• Indian Origin: Its prototype comes from Shiva in Hinduism, which was later absorbed by Buddhism and transformed into a protective deity. In Indian mythology, Shiva is the god of destruction and creation, and this powerful attribute of strength was borrowed by Buddhism.
• Evolution in Tibetan Buddhism: With the spread of Buddhism into Tibet, the Six-Armed Mahākāla integrated with the local religious culture and became an extremely influential protective deity in the Esoteric School of Tibetan Buddhism. Its image and doctrines have been continuously enriched and refined during the development of Tibetan Buddhism.

• Protective Function: As a protective deity, the Six-Armed Mahākāla can shield practitioners from interference and harm by evil forces, creating a favorable environment for their spiritual practice. For example, when practitioners are troubled by demonic obstacles or evil thoughts, believers believe that the Six-Armed Mahākāla will use its powerful strength to dispel these negative factors.
• Symbol of Wealth: In some beliefs, the Six-Armed Mahākāla is also regarded as a god of wealth, capable of bestowing wealth and blessings upon believers. This may stem from its powerful strength as a protective deity, which can be transformed into the ability to meet the material needs of believers.

Key Terminology Notes:

• Mahākāla: The standard Sanskrit transliteration of “大黑天” in Buddhist studies, referring to the fierce protective deity in Esoteric Buddhism.
• Five Poisons (贪、嗔、痴、慢、疑): Translated as “the five poisons” in Buddhist terminology, referring to the five fundamental afflictions that hinder spiritual enlightenment.
• Vajra Pestle & Vajra Bell: Core ritual tools in Esoteric Buddhism; the vajra pestle (金刚杵) symbolizes unshakable wisdom, and the vajra bell (金刚铃) represents the emptiness of all phenomena.
• Emptiness (空性): A core concept in Mahayana Buddhism, referring to the idea that all phenomena have no inherent, independent existence